The Most Pleasant Part of Running in the Winter

It is cold outside. While changing out of my running outfit at my home, I realized that the most pleasant part of running in the winter at night is being able to return home from the frozen outdoor air and slowly taking off my wet, cold clothes.

Undressing after running feels like a Friday evening. You are still at work but you don’t have to do anything. Your thoughts are about your couple of days off. It is the same: you are standing in your running outfit, but you don’t have to run. This is it. Rest is the only thing ahead of you.Being outside, and having finished my training, I do some energetic exercises to stretch my muscles. A few minutes are enough to feel shivery when I cool down. I quickly go home. It only takes a couple of minutes, but it is enough to feel the unpleasant touch of wet fabric on my skin.

I am in my warm home. I take off my running stuff: one thing after another , layer after layer. When it is cold, I have to put on a lot of things: socks, thermal underpants, running tights, thermal t-shirt, jacket, hoodie (sweatshirt), scarf, hat, gloves, and also a watch, chest sensor for my heart rate monitor, and a belt for my phone. All these things are wet and cold.

They protect me from the freezing air outside, but inside they become useless. I take off every thing impregnated with my sweat and fatigue and slowly hang them it on the drier. These synthetic wet and cold clothes are part of me. They are my tired and frozen shell. As soon as moisture evaporates from my clothes, fatigue evaporates from my body. Next day I will be ready again to put on my dry and warm “second skin” and go for a run.

Thanks for help

Leigh Mumford

Neil

Josh

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